Xi Backs Hong Kong Leader After Deadly Fire, Jimmy Lai Verdict

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed full support for Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, praising his administration’s performance after a year defined by a deadly fire, a financial turnaround and the conviction of the city’s top national security target.

During Lee’s annual duty visit to Beijing on Tuesday, Xi said the central government “fully affirms” his work in safeguarding national sovereignty and steering the semi-autonomous financial hub “from order to prosperity.”